Quinn Hughes leaves Michigan to sign with Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes, a Hobey Baker candidate who just wrapped up his second season in Ann Arbor, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.(Photo: Dale G. Young, Detroit News)

No surprise, Quinn Hughes’ time at Michigan will be short.

Hughes, a Hobey Baker candidate who just wrapped up his second season in Ann Arbor, signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

He is expected to join the Canucks on Tuesday.

“Quinn is an exceptional skater, strong on the puck and plays with creativity and vision,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in a statement.

Hughes, 19, was the seventh overall pick by the Canucks in the 2018 draft, but returned to Michigan for his sophomore season.

Michigan’s season ended over the weekend with a two-game sweep by Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament. The Wolverines finished 13-16-7.

Hughes, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound defenseman, led Michigan in points with 33. He had 28 assists to go with five goals.

Hughes has a hockey pedigree, as the older brother of Jack Hughes, considered the No. 1 prospect for the 2019 draft. Another younger brother, Luke, plays minors hockey. Their father, Jim, played at Providence and was an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins and director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their mother, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, played hockey at the University of New Hampshire.